Twenty One
by Katherine Austen
Summary: Twenty One years in the life of Daddy's little girl. GSR. R and R please!


_**AUTHORS NOTES:**_ First time writing a CSI fanfiction in general, I'm used to simply roleplaying these characters but Emma (who I shall call the Grissom to my Sara minus the relationship, haha) inspired me to write this late one night. This is the first of 3 parts. ALSO;; No flaming regarding the name please. It's to add a bit of humor and is honestly an inside joke that has turned into something more. I wasn't going to post this anywhere but my journal honestly but thought GSR fans might enjoy it. Thank for checking it out! It's also unbeta'd so I apologize in advance.

**zero**  
She had long eyelashes and wispy dark hair. She was sleeping soundly, curled up under her mother's arm, her tiny chest rising and falling in a pattern he'd already begun to memorize. Her cupid bow lips formed a perfect pout and every now and then she suckled the air and he'd crack a smile at her innocence. He had honestly never expected this. This new lease on life... a life beyond the grisly extremes he was far too often absorbed in. Homicide, Suicide, excessive death and now he was faced with the polar opposite. Life, so fresh and new. Untouched and pure.

She whined, stirring in her sleep and kicking the blankets from her wrinkled, pink feet. He eyed the white band on her ankle that was clearly marked Sidle/Grissom girl and then placed a hand on her stomach, whispering hush.

The tiny girl still stirred and he shifted to take her into his arms.

"Now, we'd made it to the plusiotis gloriosa before you decided it was time to join us," Gil Grissom began, referring to the nightly routine he'd developed in which he explained varied species of bugs to her mother's every growing stomach. It always soothed the baby in the womb though Sara joked it was because he bored her into submission. "The plusiotis glorisoa is from the scarab family of rutelinae. This particular beetle actually had blue eyes, unlike your standard brown or green..."

He continued on, swaying the tiny girl in his arms as he spoke before she lay motionless in his arms, aside from the breathing pattern now embedded in his memory.

He looked up and glanced at Sara, sleeping soundly. She needed her rest and so he was content to calm the newborn if need be. Besides, he was not exactly prepared to face the reaction she'd give when she discovered what he'd written for their daughter's name on the birth certificate. The hospital claimed a name was needed for records and so he blurted the first thing on his mind.

He thought Luna Moth Grissom was fitting.

**one**  
She learned to walk at nine months. She never was a fan of peas and like most children her first word was _Dada_. Her motor skills were above average as she could take a crayon to paper and scribble with ease instead of eating the waxy colored sticks. She could buzz like a bee and bark like a dog. She had her mothers temper and a combination of both parents genius. She also had her fathers penchant for bugs and when the father daughter two some would go for walks in the morning she'd point out every bug they saw with a sweet smile.

"Buggies, Dada. Bzzz, bzzzz," though every time the tiny thing did her bee impersonation she'd wind up with spit on the bib of her overalls. A pocket full of daisies later they'd returned to the house for cake and ice cream. Sara had left the suzy homemaker task in the hands of Catherine Willows who was more than happy to oblige.

There's one candle on the cake and she has trouble blowing it out because she doesn't quite understand why the grown ups are making such a big deal over the melting wax when there was sugar underneath it. Her mother helps her and soon enough little Luna has icing in her ears, nostrils and in her hair.

They ask her what she'd like for her birthday, not expecting much in response.

"Baby!" She giggles with glee and Sara and Gil exchange looks and realize she'll be perfectly fine with the blocks, board books and stuffed animals she received.

Though Gil is quietly wondering what on earth he'd name a second child.

**two**  
They are convinced the terrible two's are just some sort of legend to scare parents through toddlerhood. Luna carries her mother's temper but it's not often accompanied by tantrums. She's not a social butterfly like the other children in her daycare class, she's more inclined to sit at the sand table and draw patterns with her fingertips. She shows the other children on the playground the bugs she picks up and her teacher makes her wash her hands and tells her its yucky. They have cupcakes in class that day for her birthday but she's still sulking because she doesn't think bugs are yucky and she just wants to go home to sit with her daddy and her favorite book _Ten Little Ladybugs_.

Her parents take her to Chuck E. Cheese and Sara groans because she's remembering what it was like to work there and she feels like her head is going to explode. Luna is distraught because there's a game where you have to stomp on spiders and she just can't fathom hurting them for tickets. Her Daddy gets her involved in a ski ball game gone awry and she ends up claiming her prizes after she decides she's got enough tickets. She gets two plastic crickets and they call it a night.

**three**  
She's sitting in the backseat, kicking her legs and humming along with _Eleanor Rigby_, blowing kisses to her daddy when he turns to look at her every now and then and giggling wildly at the silly faces her mother makes at her. Luna's school counselor swears shes a genius and all Sara wants is for her kid to have a normal life. Yet on her third birthday they are on their way to some institute because majority of the other three year olds in her class can't even go to the potty unassisted but she's reading simple words and talking with a slight lisp about varied animal species.

She talks to the institute founder about Scarabs and how her Daddy's going to get her a Tarantula for her birthday later that day. They ask her what her favorite ice cream is and all sorts of boring questions so she politely asks if she can go home and get her new pet. They chuckle and send her on her way before pestering her parents about IQ testing and schools she'd do well in.

Luna just wants her pet and Gil looks down to her tugging on his leg. An hour later they've secured a Chilean rose tarantula that Luna names Cookie. Yes, she may have been a genius, but she was still only three years old.

**four**  
While the other little girls in her class opted for Princess birthdays; Luna wants...not surprisingly, one about bugs. Catherine is on hand again to design a cookie crumble cake with gummy worms randomly crawling about it. Luna squeals in delight and is soon enough distracted by a butterfly catching kit. Nick Stokes had considered getting her an ant farm but quickly took the idea back as he imagined her releasing all of the ants in the living room.

She blows out the four green candles and makes her wish. Her eyes are scrunched shut and she's concentrating. The way the little girls mind works leaves it difficult to pin point exactly what she's wishing for. Finally she opens them and claps her hands together with glee.

Gil's smile matches Sara's and they both often stop and think about life before their daughter; it was as though their perspectives were completely flipped. She was their new beginning.

**five**  
She had learned to ride her bike without training wheels three days prior. She zoomed up and down the driveway, her father nervously pacing after her.

"It's okay, Daddy. I'm a big girl now," she states, matter of factly, a smirk much like her mothers curling on her lips. He didn't want to let her go the first time, didn't want to come to the realization that like a juvenile bird she'd have to leave the nest someday. Five years had gone by already, so could thirteen more years go by as fast? He oftened wondered about college, boys and the things looming in the distance; waiting to emerge as she approached her teenage years.

For now, she was still his little ladybug...even if she wanted him to let go.

This year it was just the three of them, a picnic in the park, chocolate cake at home and random presents. This year she wanted a puppy; however Gil and Sara weren't sure the novelty wouldn't wear off. She settled (somewhat) for an oversized stuffed Labrador retriever she named Nemo and demanded slept in her bed.

She fell asleep to _Ten Little Ladybugs_ and Gil watched her for a moment before turning out the light. She'd be too old for the simple book soon enough and he wasn't sure he was ready for that day to come.

**six**  
She claims she's big enough to ride roller coasters now and for her birthday her father decides he's going to take her on one. She's nervous at first, twisting her fingers and swaying back and forth, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Her long dark hair is in a loose braid that hangs between her shoulder blades and she's chewing her bottom lip and she thinks about the roller coater, over and over. Despite her age, she's running over worst case scenarios in her head.

"What if I'm too skinny and I fall out?" Luna asks and Gil laughs, picking her up and setting her in the ride, pushing the harness down until it clicks.

"I'll hold on to you," he says as he offers her his hand between the seats and she quickly reaches for it.

"Okay," she says softly.

The ride takes off and she's silent the entire time. Gil can feel her grip tightening and when they pull back into the station, she's still silent.

"Well?" he asks as the harnesses are released.

"Can we do it again?" She giggles as a smile overwhelms her.

They ride the roller coaster four more times before heading home to Sara and a strawberry cake. She falls asleep giggling, telling her father she can still feel the 'flip-flops' from the roller coaster in her tummy as she lays down. He gives a warm smile and blows her a kiss as he turns off the light.

**seven**  
Sara didn't want to tell her on her birthday, but Gil insisted. He felt it was a unique gift, Sara said it wasn't really a gift but a life changing event. Sure enough, on her seventh birthday Luna discovered she was going to be a big sister.

At first, she didn't take the news so well. Her smile dropped and she looked to both of her parents with confused eyes. For seven years it had just been the three of them...and a vast array of insects as pets. They gave her a moment to think about it. She took a few moments and shrugged her shoulders.

"At least I'll have someone to teach stuff to," she said, with a nod. She got cheesecake for her birthday that year and blew out the seven candles, giving a nod as she made her wish.

Gil gathered her jacket and took her hand afterwards. Riding the roller coaster was their new birthday tradition.

"Maybe we should have just got her the puppy," Sara smirks as Gil pulls her into a hug.

"Canines drool, smell..." Gil shrugs.

"So do babies," Sara winks as he smooths a thumb over her cheek.

The father daughter duo ride the roller coaster a record seven times that night and when they get home, she wants him to read to her from one of his varied entomology books.

_Ten Little Ladybugs_ retires to the shelf that night, and Gil realizes now more than ever that she's no longer that tiny baby he rocked to sleep seven years prior.


End file.
